All it’s essential to learn about WGC Match Play

The five-day event at Austin Nation Membership sees the 64-player area break up into 16 teams of 4, 4 rounds earlier than a knockout recreation is performed; WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play protection dwell on Sky Sports activities Golf from 2.30pm on Wednesday

Billy Horschel returns to defend his title this week on the WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play

What’s WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play and the way does it work? We reply your key questions on scope, format, and extra forward of the five-day occasion, Reside from Wednesday on Sky Sports activities.

Why does this occasion begin Wednesday?

The primary three days are put aside for Spherical Robin match play, with the 64-player area divided into 16 teams of 4, and solely the winner from every group advances to the knockout levels.

If there’s a tie on the prime of the group, a playoff between the individuals will decide who advances to the tip of the week.

Scotty Scheffler is in search of a 3rd win this yr

The Spherical of 16 and the quarter-finals happen on Saturday, with the semi-finals scheduled for early Sunday with the semi-finals later that day. Because of this the winner fought seven rounds over the 5 days to carry the trophy.

How do gamers qualify?

Solely the highest 64 within the rankings – after The Gamers wrapped up earlier this month – have been routinely eligible to kick off on the Austin Nation Membership, with gamers simply behind them within the standings after which substituting any withdrawals.

Six of the candidates opted out, with Cameron Smith withdrawing after his win over TPC Sawgrass and Sam Burns withdrew shortly after the Valspar Championship on Sunday. Ryder Cup participant Bernd Weisberger is at present the primary substitute in case some other participant withdraws.

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Prime picks from the final prolonged day of the Gamers Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Rory McIlroy will miss the occasion forward of subsequent week’s Valero Texas Open, Phil Mickelson remains to be on an indefinite break from golf, whereas Hideki Matsuyama and Harris English are each injured.

How does drawing work?

The highest 16 ranked gamers have been every of the highest ranked gamers of their teams, with gamers rated 17-32, 33-48, and 49-64 after which tied at random to finish every place within the four-player teams.

World primary Jon Ram has former Masters champion Patrick Reed in his group, Bryson DeChambeau marks his return to play alongside 49-year-old Richard Bland, whereas Justin Thomas has former winner Kevin Kesner amongst his opponents.

Jon Ram completed second behind Dustin Johnson in 2017 and reached the semi-finals in final yr’s competitors

What’s the format of the match?

A golf match is what you see throughout occasions just like the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, the place the end result of the match relies on the variety of holes received quite than the participant’s spherical rating.

The participant wins the outlet if he scores fewer factors than his opponent, with the match winner confirmed as soon as certainly one of them advances with extra holes than is left to play. A tied match will rating half a degree within the group stage, with further holes required if the match ends out of all sq. within the knockout levels.

Who ever appreciated?

Kesner completed second to Bubba Watson in 2018 earlier than defeating Matt Kuchar 3 and a couple of within the ultimate the next yr, with the 2020 competitors canceled as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

The event was again on schedule this March, with Horschel notching his first two world victories in 2023 by defeating Scottie Scheffler, whereas former World No. 1 Jason Day, McIlroy and Dustin Johnson have been among the many event’s honor roll.

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Prime picks from the final prolonged day of the Gamers Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Tiger Woods is the one three-time winner of the WGC Match Play, with Day and Geoff Ogilvy lifting the trophy twice, whereas Poulter and Luke Donald are the 2 English winners of the occasion.

What are the opposite dangers this week?

This week’s event is the final occasion wherein gamers qualify for The Masters with out successful the PGA Tour occasion, with the highest 50 gamers taking the world golf rankings after the occasion that earned an invitation to this yr’s males’s event.

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Nick Dougherty, Paul McGinley and Andrew Coultart look again at the perfect motion from the ultimate spherical of the Masters 85 at Augusta Nationwide.

For many who have not already certified and who’re nonetheless off that mark when the rankings are launched subsequent Monday, the one option to e book a last-minute spot at Augusta Nationwide Stadium might be by successful the Valero Texas Open.

There may be additionally the small matter of the race for world primary, with Colin Morikawa, Victor Hovland, Patrick Kantay and Scotty Scheffler having one other likelihood to shut the hole over John Ram on the prime of the standings.

How do I watch WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play?

Sky Sports activities will characteristic dwell protection from all 5 days of the marathon competitors, with dwell broadcasts from 2.30pm Wednesday by means of Friday earlier than predominant protection begins at 6pm.

Expanded protection of the knockout levels might be proven over the weekend on Sky Sports activities Golf, with dwell broadcasts from 1.30pm on Saturday protecting the Spherical of 16 and the Quarterfinals. It then airs the final day from 2:30pm on Sundays.

For these unable to observe the motion dwell this week, one-hour occasions might be accessible each morning on Sky Sports activities Golf, with reviews and clips on the Sky Sports activities web site after every day of play.

Watch WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play all week lengthy dwell on Sky Sports activities Golf!